Let it be known that I love ‘Rock Band’. I also dig ‘Guitar Hero’, but the format and user interface of that one was just never up to the level of ‘Rock Band’. Now that ‘GH’ is defunct, we’ll see how long the folks at Harmonix can keep things cooking. The steady stream of downloadable songs is very respectable, enough that my online rocking pals and I find ourselves buying a tune or two (or five!) every other week. And now we can get the Red Hot Chili Peppers? Hell yes!
The more I read the Entertainment Software Association’s report titled “Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry,” the more I believe that the industry is making games for me and decisions based on my demographic. The report says that the average age of the videogame player is 37-years-old, and that 53% of gamers are between 18 and 49.
Mötley Crüe is a band that was most famous in the mid ’80s to early ’90s, when 37-year-olds were twentysomething-year-olds and buying the crap out of the band’s CDs and cassettes. In April of 2008, the Crüe did what no other band had ever done before – released a single through ‘Rock Band’. Ok, sure “Saints of Los Angeles” kind of blows, but that’s not the point.
Let it also be known that I love the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In case you weren’t aware, the Chili Peppers will be releasing their first new album since 2006 soon. It’s entitled “I’m With You” and will be released on Tuesday, August 30th. Typically, Harmonix announces the following week’s downloadable content on a Monday or Tuesday for the following Tuesday. But August 15th was a special announcement day. Harmonix stated that a Red Hot Chili Peppers 8-song track pack will be released on 8/30 to coincide with the new album release.
Here’s a link to the announcement:
And here’s the track listing:
- “By the Way”
- “Californication”
- “Look Around” (“I’m With You”)
- “Monarchy of Roses” (“I’m With You”)
- “Otherside”
- “Parallel Universe”
- “Scar Tissue”
- “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie” (“I’m With You”)
Brilliant. This is a precedent that I can get behind. While there are only three tracks from the new album in the pack, it’s highly likely that not only will I buy the album on iTunes or Amazon, but I’ll send Harmonix a few of my DLC dollars as well. Why is this so cool for me? Well, being in that aforementioned demographic, I find that keeping track of new music that all sounds the same to me (That’s right; get off my lawn, you f’ing kids!) to be really annoying. While I may be behind the times music-wise, I discover a ton of bands and music through ‘Rock Band’. Of course, I knew the Chili Peppers had an album coming out, but perhaps less diehard fans did not. Now they know, and Chili Pepper fandom has been spread that much further.
